Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of…

1. That you have never done any thing in all your lives, that can render you worthy in God's account: the Godly themselves must ⟨p. 243⟩say of all they do, they are unprofitable, Luk. 17. 10. The best deeds of sanctified men call for forgiveness; yea, for the merits of Christ to render them acceptable unto God, which makes them so far from boasting, that it puts them upon it to ask forgiveness. According to the first Covenant, those works were accounted worthy of acceptance and reward, whereby God was glorified in perfect obedience; wherein the heart and life were exactly conformed to the mind of the Law of God, that was given man for his rule; but since the fall, the best of men cannot thus do: And as for thee, thou hast been a sinner, how justly mayest thou take that to thy self, which the Prophet charged that wicked King withal? Dan.5.23. Thou hast kept no command of God, but fallen short of all, and what worthiness canst thou plead? those services which thou thinkest thou hast done, even they are worse than filthy rags; for the Church concludes hers to be no better, Isa. 64. 6.

1. That you have never done any thing in all your lives, that can render you worthy in God's account: the Godly themselves must ⟨p. 243⟩say of all they do, they are unprofitable, Luk. 17. 10. The best deeds of sanctified men call for forgiveness; yea, for the merits of Christ to render them acceptable unto God, which makes them so far from boasting, that it puts them upon it to ask forgiveness. According to the first Covenant, those works were accounted worthy of acceptance and reward, whereby God was glorified in perfect obedience; wherein the heart and life were exactly conformed to the mind of the Law of God, that was given man for his rule; but since the fall, the best of men cannot thus do: And as for thee, thou hast been a sinner, how justly maist thou take that to thy self, which the Prophet charged that wicked King withal?